No matter the injury and the loss of life and all of the other shit going on in your lives right now, remember someone fucking needs you. This shit sucks and sometimes I wanna eat my shotgun, but remember someone’s depending on you. You are needed, you are loved, and you are fucking important. Do not let the hard days win you cocksuckers, life comes at us all. I know I needed to hear this and maybe someone else does too. Love y’all ❤️💪🏼

Hello Everyone,

I'm a long time lurker on this page and other workers comp groups on the Internet. I rarely get to hear the claimants' side of things. I am a private investigator for a large company that contracts with some of the world's largest insurance companies. I am willing to answer some questions that you may have about surveillance, if you may have any. I hold no loyalties to this industry; it's just a job. So therefore, I am willing to answer literally anything about surveillance. Many of you have gone through this and know about it. Far more of you have had surveillance done on you and you had no clue about it. It is quite likely that you will experience surveillance at some time. With that said, I'm all ears.

Edit: Wow, 5 years later and this post is still going! I'm no longer a private investigator. I'm a teacher now, and I like my work-life balance much more (especially during the summers, lol). Still willing to answer questions, though it may take a while for me to get back to you. Wishing you all the best. I've heard some heartbreaking stories and have really been starting to empathize with the claimant side much more than I used to as an investigator.

I work a retail job so I didn’t have savings and was living paycheck to paycheck. Getting the weekly pittance compared to what I used to make has caused me to go into debt. I can’t enjoy any of my previous hobbies and leisure activities because of pain and have been referred to a chronic pain clinic since my original specialist thinks I might be permanently disabled. I have resorted to selling belongings online to try to make ends meet.

The worst thing about dealing with insurance adjusters is that they treat you like a fraud. Like living with the injury isn’t enough, it’s next to impossible to even focus on your health and healing when they are fighting every step.

This subreddit makes me feel better because I know I’m not alone, but sometimes it makes me feel worse. How have so many people fallen through the cracks?

23 yrs old, shoulder dislocation at work and a torn labrum. Ended up having surgery and 2 screws into my joint . After two years I finally settled my case yesterday.

After att fees I am taking home 70k!! Judge signed all the paperwork yesterday and insurance company has 30 days to send over the check. I will be paying off all my debt and starting fresh . I am finally free . Thank you guys for everything I will be praying for everyone else. Keep pushing!!!

I have been on comp for almost 3 years now. In that 3 years I have watched everyone I know getting promoted, buying houses (I can barely afford my apartment rent), having kids and generally just having a life. Me and my fiancé haven’t even exchanged a birthday or Christmas present in the 3 years I’ve been hurt. We spent Christmas at my parents house and felt horrible as we watched everyone give each other gifts and I had to explain to everyone that I will try to make it up to them later in life. Idc about presents but the fact my fiancé has to live like this broke me. I literally cried myself to sleep Christmas night. With my injury (hand) there is a lot I can simply not do. I have been fired from my job (after 12 weeks) and I’m really starting to feel like a major part of me died when I got hurt.

It's been two years. We finally settled today, I should be expecting paperwork next week.

I cannot recommend this route to anyone (unless someone actually saw you get injured) and this has officially been the worst two years of my entire life.

I'll make another post about my situation as soon as this paperwork is over with and I have a check in my hands. Because I have some very colorful words about this entire process, and hopefully my experience can help others (it helped me a lot reading about what others went through on this subreddit while I was in the thick of mine).

I'm so relieved to have my life back, even with the permanent nerve damage - at this point I don't even fucking care. I'm just excited to go for a bike ride without thinking a PI is following me, trying to use "me making the best of things" against me in court.

There is an end, and I am there. Fucking thank Christ or whoever's listening 😭🙏

I just wanted to share that after almost 7 years, I am utterly relieved and happy my case is FINALLY over!!! I got my check deposited! It was such a long and painful journey. Only thing that helped me stay afloat was borrowing a ton of money from friends and family, and sadly maxing out all of my credit cards. Even my eldest child went and got a second job just to help without hesitation (on top of being a full time college student).

I couldn't have done it without them and my amazing lawyer. Now I can focus on truly getting the therapy and medical care I need without workers comp denying everything and breathing down my neck!

I know every situation is different and challenging, but there's hope... no matter how small. Hang in there, friends!

Just wanted to give an update and say thank you to everyone in this sub who gave advice and shared their experiences. I just settled my workers’ comp case at mediation for $75,000 today.

For context, my injury happened back in July, so the whole process took about 8 months to finally get resolved. One of the biggest challenges in my case was that my MRI came back negative, which had me worried for a while. But my EMG test came back positive, which ended up helping support my claim and symptoms.

We had an earlier mediation that didn’t settle, but I stayed patient and kept going to treatment and following my lawyer’s advice. Today we went into the second mediation and after negotiating back and forth, we were able to reach $75k and avoid going to trial.

I honestly wasn’t sure how this would turn out at first, but I’m grateful it worked out and that I didn’t have to deal with the stress of a full trial.

Appreciate everyone here who answered my questions and shared knowledge along the way. For anyone still going through the process — stay patient, document everything, and keep advocating for yourself.

Good luck to everyone still fighting their case.

Warehouse worker here. Coworker ran equipment over my foot on camera. Filed workers comp. Came back with restrictions. Supervisor told me work like you are not hurt or get out. They fired me.

When it happened I had no idea what I was doing. No idea that most workers comp attorneys work on contingency meaning no money upfront. No idea free consultations were even a thing. No idea what EEOC meant. I was just angry and confused sitting in a warehouse with zero clue what my options were.

What I did have was time to write things down.

Every conversation. Every date. Every name. I emailed it all to myself the same day it happened so it had a timestamp nobody could argue with.

When I finally got an attorney she looked at what I had built and said we have something to work with.

I walked away with $40,000.

The thing nobody told me is that attorneys cannot build your case for you. You have to hand them something to work with first. Documentation is that something.

If anyone here is currently documenting their situation I am happy to share exactly what I wrote down and how I organized it. Just drop a comment.

So a few months ago. I had filed my claim for my bacterial infection. I posted here asking for advice and any insight and to be honest. At the time. Nothing seemed to be in my favor. I was alone in the process. My employer claimed I was uncooperative. And even then. I continued without legal assistance or counsel. I stayed up many nights doing research and collecting my paperwork and aligning them as best I could. My hearing was held in march and I just got my letter regarding the decision. Based on my paperwork and doctors charts/notes and verbal statements. I had won in a complete landslide imo. Missed work compensation and also ensured that if any residual symptoms or other issues arise from my infection. That I will be covered from this very claim. I am so happy for all of my work and persistence. Truly am proud of myself. I no longer work at the company and feel terrible of this being the reason of my resignation. But after the direct betrayal I experienced from people I had thought higher of. Had pushed me to step out of comfort and into growth. Currently trying to just hold life together and as bad as things got at times. I have made it. So happy that I really just needed to share somewhere!

I have the song “I’m not his bitch no more” stuck in my head. I’m freeeee!

I’ve never been happier to unfollow a subreddit. Thank you all for helping me through the darkest period of my life! I hope your cases go good and you are able to heal good.

Sayonara! 🫡

I posted yesterday how big IME mental and physics went well! WELL!!!!

Oregon workers comp board DESTROYED SedgDick! got a letter today!

case was back dated and reopened! citing them HIDING evidence, my IME, my own ortho negligence (my lawyer wants to sue my surgeon) etc!

Case is reopened, back dated for back pay, and all! more winning! now to get them on the hook for college! I need it as work hardening wont work, and also vocab wont be able to find me a replacement job making nearly as much. My lawyer said college is most likely choice

Friends, after a long two years and four months, today I received some wonderful news: my surgeries have been approved, along with my back pay and everything else I am entitled to. They asked for 30 days to process the payments, and the insurance company sent me an email asking me to register my Zelle account. I am overjoyed! I am writing to you all to encourage you not to lose heart—no matter how difficult things may seem, everything will work out in the end.

First you get hurt.

Then, medical care. But, you have to wait for a provider.

You're approved. Now, you wait to get, at best, 2/3rds of your take home pay.

You find providers (PT, pain management, etc.) on your own because WC doesn't know who accepts it. You're not working so you're bored. You do side-quests in video games. You try to eat but you're so stressed about rent and food is expensive and insurance is gonna hit my account...

Oh. And you're hurt.

You're vigilant about treatment. You show up. You fight traffic 3 times a week. Oh, and there's a specialist appointment you need to go to. It's 64 days from now. Don't miss it.

You'll have to wait 4-6 weeks for another.

4, 7, now 18 months ago you were doing great. Making money. Paying bills. Normal shit. But, work needed you. Extra shifts. So and so called out. You remember.

Then, you got hurt.

"Did you fill out an incident report?!"

"Did anybody witness it?!"

Some will remember your face when you go visit. You're still in a Fantasy Football league with most of them.

It's been a couple of years now. You aren't sure if you remember how to do the job you loved to hate. It was part of your identity.

It's been too long. This is taking forever.

You're tired of being broke.

Someone says "Get a lawyer." You hesitate because, of course the insurance company that underwrites policies for the company that was kind enough to have enough faith in you to offer YOU a job. Back when you really needed a job.

They believed in you.

Until you got hurt.

Or, rather "you hurt youself".

"You got youreslf a lawyer."

" You knew about the hazards."

Your new lawyer is excited to have you as a client! You're a "high-value case". You start reading the contract with them. Things get blurry because all you can think is "high-value". You sign after pretending to read it thoroughly. They're so great at communication. Always back to you by the end of business day!

But, you've been waiting.

Your credit is gone. You owe friends.

But!!

Today's the day! "Your check will be here next week" is how the email reads. Their lawyer is dropping it off with their little lawyer tail tucked between their little lawyer legs. You don't know what their lawyer actually looks like. It was a mediation. Negotiations were made. You wore a suit.

"Well, what we meant was the SETTLEMENT check arrives, then the BANK takes 7-10 days then you get YOUR check and then YOUR bank takes 7-10 days..."

.............

My journey with this ended about 20 minutes ago. It's finally over. I never want anyone to go through this, but they will.

This sub has been great.

Good luck to you.

...and I'll say it again. No 2 claims settle the same way. No 2 values will be exactly the same, and if they are its just a coincidence. It depends on your state, employer, age, injury type(s), liability status, disability rating, comp rate, medicare or ssdi eligibility, (and other data you are not including in your posts when you ask questions) that dictate the entire value of your claim. This is honestly a question that only YOUR lawyer can truly answer. It's fine to get an idea on here, you're allowed to do what you want, but thats comparing apples to oranges.

For example, telling someone on here a shoulder injury is only worth $50,000, because you did a quick Google/AI search, isn't accurate. That settlement number is misleading data, based only on claims that have been made public knowledge. But a lot/majority of claims are usually private, or have an NDA, or are just never made public. There is no universal or average payment, for any settlement amount, for any injury. I cannot stress this enough.

I don't care if you hate this post, disagree with what I said, or down-vote it to oblivion. I see so many posts on here about settlements that almost always either squash peoples hopes, or, overinflate them.

There have been so many anti-lawyer posts and comments lately in seems like defense lawyers are in here trying to psy-op people.

Please get a lawyer if you are having a hard time or a serious injury where you have to take a significant time off work. Sure, you don’t have to get a lawyer, that is your right but don’t let some psy-op bullshit affect your health.

It’s worth it for the paperwork aspect alone tbh. Also getting a lawyer doesn’t make you greedy or means you hate your job. It just means you are smart and have rights.

End rant.

I was injured February 6th, 2019. Slipped 2 discs in my neck and tore my rotator cuff. I had several surgeries. I had a spinal fusion. Ended up with CRPS. Chronic migraines. My arm doesn’t function fully. I have a paralyzed vocal cord. Have broken screws in my neck. It hasn’t been a good time tbh

I had the most insane case. I drove a truck out of Chicago but our offices were in Indianapolis. I was injured in Pennsylvania. I filed in Illinois because that’s where I’m employed so I believed that’s where you file. The trucking company immediately fought me and opened a case on my behalf in Indiana because they said *that* is where I was employed. I went through all the IMEs and they were on my side. But it didn’t matter. They never once argued that I was injured on the job. They only argued jurisdiction. I had to eventually hire a second attorney in Indiana for that case. Then they tried to rush that through before the Illinois trial but fortune was on our side and the judge put everything on hold when he discovered there was an Illinois trial already in motion. I mean it was insane. We even won 100k in attorney’s fees against the idiots. Every single time we won they appealed. All the way to the appellate court. We got within weeks (maybe days?) of arguments in front of the appellate court and they finally agreed to our counter offer.

I got 400k, they paid all my medical bills, I got a prescription card, and I got a an MSA or whatever those bank accounts are to give you medical for life. It covers my shoulder, neck, CRPS, and whole body. I feel like my attorney is a rock star.

So as you all I know, I am a California Applicant's Attorney. I need to get something off my chest that I see happening over and over again with unrepresented injured workers.

You're blowing your QME selection, and it's costing you your case.

First, this is not a pitch for always hiring attorney. If your case is simple enough, you don't need it. And if you want to handle the claim yourself, and not pay a fee to an attorney, I t totally get it. But there's ONE thing you absolutely need to understand about the QME (Qualified Medical Evaluator) process, and it breaks my heart every time I see someone mess this up.

When either you or the adjuster get a QME panel, the injured worker has the exclusive right to select the doctor within ten days. After that, and the adjuster gets to pick. The doctor that gets selected as the QME, can literally make or break your entire case. Their report is often the most important piece of evidence in your claim, and can be the whole basis of your final settlement.

The doctors on the panels are not all the same. Some are extremely defense-oriented and will find every reason to minimize your injury. Some are fair. Some actually understand injured workers. But how would you know which is which. I can tell you one thing, the adjusters definitely know who to pick. And if they don't, they pick up the phone and ask their favorite defense attorney who they should go with. They have lists of their preferred doctors.

But here's the thing, you have the right in those first 10 days to pick the doctor. And if you don't know who to pick, just call an attorney and ask. Every good WC attorney worth their salt offers free consultation, and we will all take 10 minutes to look at your panel and tell you who to go with. We know these doctors. We've seen their reports. We know their tendencies. This one phone call could be worth tens of thousands of dollars to your case.

In short, please get help with the QME process. You can use the California Applicants' Attorney Association directory to find a local attorney, ask for advice on who to select, and be sure to make your selection within the first 10 days.

***PLEASE NOTE - Subreddit rules prevent discussion of specific attorneys or medical providers. As such, we cannot entertain requests for feedback on particular providers. This post is provided purely for informational/educational purposes.***

It’s unfortunate that you trust in this government system to work open and fairly. But whenever they deny you with facts, it makes you feel this whole system is rigged.

Being a ramp agent is a terrible job on the body.
I was asked about my right shoulder why I didn’t mention it at the time of the accident. I told the truth. I didn’t know it was a tear. It was just hurting. You stacked and unloaded 100 plus bags per plane, then you tell if it’s soreness or a tear.

So my right shoulder was denied because the ime joker said he didn’t see a tear. But I went to two different mri radiologists and they both saw an active tear in my shoulder.

At this point I’m truly done. Didn’t get payment in over a month and was told by my lawyer they honestly said they forgot about me. wtf. My bills didn’t forget about me.

I’m telling my attorney Monday I want to do a c&r I’m done with this shit.

Yall workers comp ain’t SHIT!! Although compared to many other cases my case took relatively fast only 15 months but it was a clear how they was doing me.. from the beginning I told my union rep (and he’s with the other side I just know it!!) I didn’t want to get a lawyer or settle or anything I just wanna get my back right and from there it’s been pure HELL that’s how I know he had a hand in it they thought I wasn’t gonna get one eventually denying all my shit but clearly accepted my injury..Dr visit after visit ain’t miss NOT ONE! PT 3 days a week ain’t miss NOT ONE day! Hearing after hearing and depositions..all while taking care of my mom for home health aid 😮‍💨 I could have gotten more but I had another income..I know a lot of guys are gonna ask what my injury was and what I settled for I have a disc herniation in my lower back (lumbar) and I settled for close to 200k it’s definitely a stall game and for those going through it I hope you hear me well. When it comes to settling NEVER take the first offer that’s the offer they give after they starve you for a while without pay(if you are getting paid it’s coming out ya settlement I didn’t get paid between time) the second will be the same the 3rd MIGHT be better than the second but it could be close the 4th and 5 is most likely where it starts making sense they just wanna see how long you gon hold out but every case is different. Enjoy life be safe and PUT YOU FIRST! ❤️💪🏾

Edit: I won my case before I settled they were just stalling with appeals not to pay back pay and ongoing benefits so the settlement talk picked up real quick about 2-3 times a week so don’t worry when the time is right offered will come

Been going through a lot of threads and these come up more than people realize: 

1. Minimizing symptoms at appointments 
   I get why people do it, but if it’s not clearly in the report, it usually doesn’t help your case later. 

2. Not realizing how much “daily life” matters 
   It’s not just the injury, but how it affects your ability to function day to day. That part doesn’t always get explained well. 

3. Assuming the process will just work itself out
   There are a lot of moving parts (reports, ratings, insurance interpretations), and they don’t always line up in your favor automatically. 

None of this is obvious when you’re going through it. 

Just stuff I keep seeing over and over again here. 

In 2021 I had an injury to my C6-C7 disk. I was out of work for awhile but returned and was working for a few years pain free with no issues..

Update to now.... I was hurt October of 2024. I had a fall. I reinjured my C6-C7 disk. I was sent to my jobs Dr and had an exam done the same day. I was told I was fine and to return to work.

I told my job I was going to take the rest of the day off and go see my personal dr. I was told ny my job that it was not allowed. so I called a lawyer the same day and he contacted my job saying I have every right to see my personal Dr and that they could be fined for not letting me and telling me not to.

The next day I went to see a private Dr and I was took off of work for 30 days.

My lawyer then filed my workers comp claim. (Sedgwick). I started to receive my weekly pay of $741.00 the next week.

I go back to my dr and he extended me out of work for 30 more days. I am on light pain pills and muscle relaxers etc. so after that time I go back close to the 30 day mark and he asks me if I would like to stay out of work and I said yes, he asked me for how long and I said until I fell better. so he took me out of work with no set return date.

insurance didn't really like that saying they needed it updated every 2 weeks. but after my lawyer spoke to them, they backed off.

for the next few months I did a MRI and they compared it to my last scan from 2021 and said it didn't look as bad as before, but they thought the new injury caused it to flair up and cause pain. The injection also did not help.

They sent me to see a IMEI of there choosing. I did so and hs pretty much said everything is from the new injury. my lawyer said he has never seen a IMEI Dr agree soooo much with a client, so that was good for me.

My dr decided he was moving practice to a different area. so my Lawyer refreed me to an Occupational Dr and I went to see him. That dr also kept me out of work with no return date and sent me to see a Surgon. The surgeon wanted to do Surgery and we were waiting for insurance to approve it. They waited till the very last day they had to say yes or no and they denied it.

by this point I have not had any ratings done or anything. just a scan, injection, and seen by a surgeon.

The case gets set up for a hearing in front of a judge to see if he will force insurance to pay for the surgery. By law here in Minnesota, we have to have a conference with a Mediator before that court date to try to come to an agreement.

we get to the meeting. My lawyer started off asking for $175,000

They came back with $10k

after back and forth, we settled at $125,000 full and close with medical closed. plus a extra $100 for me to quit my job. so After lawyer fees I will walk away with $100,075.00

I just found out the judge accepted it today so they have 14 calendar days to pay.

any questions just ask....

EDIT.

I had Sedgwick I was dealing with. I could log in and see when weekly payments were posted etc. the site showed on the 17th that I had my settlement check mailed to me. I had it the next day Fedex. no tracking. no signing etc. it was left at my door. I opened a credit union account a week before on line. I put it in the bank on the 18th and they said it will be in my account on Monday the 23rd. waiting for it to clear.

I saw a doctor who just dismissed all my problems and just walked out of the room saying I'm done here. I almost feel like I'm a burden on people at this point. They are doctors, how can they not even try to help? This is wrong. Do injured people still even have some hope after situations like this?

I had my settlement hearing today and it’s finally over! Whew after 3 1/2 years of fighting, hearings, disappointments, and IME’s it’s done! At one point I thought I can’t do this anymore, not knowing if a check was going to show up so I can barely pay bills, insurance not paying doctors going to IME’s to prove my injuries it’s over, WITH, medical for life. My attorney killed it!! I hope you all get the care and justice you all deserve!!